“Likewise must the Deacons
be grave, not doubletongued, not given much to wine, not greedy of
filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
And let these also first be proved: then let them use the office of a
Deacon, being found blameless.”

Discoursing of Bishops, and having described their character, and the
qualities which they ought to possess, and having passed over the order
of Presbyters, he proceeds to that of Deacons. The reason of this
omission was, that between Presbyters and Bishops there was no great
difference. Both had undertaken the office of Teachers and Presidents
in the Church, and what he has said concerning Bishops is applicable to
Presbyters. For they are only superior in having the power of
ordination, and seem to have no other advantage over
Presbyters.

“Likewise the
Deacons.” That is, they should have the same qualities as
Bishops. And what are these same? To be blameless, sober, hospitable,
patient, not brawlers, not covetous. And that he means this when he
says “likewise,” is evident from what he says in addition,
“grave, not doubletongued”; that is, not hollow or
deceitful. For nothing so debases a man as deceit, nothing is so
pernicious in the Church as insincerity. “Not given to much wine,
not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure
conscience.” Thus he explains what he means by
“blameless.” And here he requires, though in other words,
that he be “not a novice,” where he says, “Let these
also first be proved,” where the conjunction “also”
is added, as connecting this with what had been said before of Bishops,
for nothing intervenes between. And there is the same reason12021202 He
had not noticed this reason on the passage, probably because he
considered that St. Paul purposely deferred it to this
place. for the “not a novice” in that
case. For would it not be absurd, that when a newly purchased slave is
not entrusted with anything in a house, till he has by long trial given
proofs of his character, yet that one should enter into the Church of
God from a state of heathenism, and be at once placed in a station of
preeminence?

Ver. 11. “Even so must
the women12031203 E.V.: “Their wives.” The other is literal. [R.V.:
“Women.”] be grave, not slanderers, sober,
faithful in all things.”

Some have thought that this is
said of women generally, but it is not so, for why should he introduce
anything about women to interfere with his subject? He is speaking of
those who hold the rank of Deaconesses.

This12041204 i.e.
the verse before.
must be understood therefore to relate to Deaconesses. For that order
is necessary and useful and honorable in the Church. Observe how he
requires the same virtue from the Deacons, as from the Bishops, for
though they were not of equal rank, they must equally be blameless;
equally pure.

“Ruling their children and
their own houses well.”

Ver. 13. “For they that
have used the office of a Deacon well purchase to themselves a good
degree, and much boldness in the faith which is in Christ
Jesus.”

Everywhere they are required to
rule their children well, that others may not be scandalized by their
misconduct.

“They that use the office
of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree,” that is,
advancement, “and much boldness in the faith of Jesus
Christ”; as if he would say, that those 442who have been found vigilant
in the lower degree12051205 Or,
“in things below.” He may refer to the Deacon’s
temporal ministry. will soon ascend to
the higher.

Ver. 14, 15. “These
things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly. But if I
tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself
in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar
and ground of the truth.”

That he may not plunge Timothy
into dejection by giving him orders about such matters, he says, I
write thus not as though I were not coming, but I will indeed come,
still in case I should be delayed, that thou mayest not be distressed.
And this he writes to him to prevent his being dejected, but to others
in order to rouse them to greater earnestness. For his presence, though
only promised, would have great effect. Nor let it seem strange that,
though foreseeing everything through the Spirit, he was yet ignorant of
this, and only says, I hope to come, but if I tarry, which implies
uncertainty. For since he was led by the Spirit, and did not act from
his own inclination, he was naturally uncertain about this
matter.

“That thou mayest
know,” he says, “how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the
house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and
ground of the truth.” Not like that Jewish house. For it is this
that maintains the faith and the preaching of the Word. For the truth
is the pillar and the ground of the Church.12061206 i.e.
the truth in itself supports the Church, the Church through it supports
the world.

Ver. 16. “And without
controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God [He who]12071207 [ὄς is better attested than
θεός, and
has been adopted in the R.V.—P.S.] was manifest in the flesh, justified in
the Spirit.”

Here he speaks of the
Dispensation in our behalf. Tell me not of the bells, nor of the holy
of holies, nor of the high priest. The Church is the pillar of the
world. Consider this mystery, and thou mayest be struck with awe: for
it is indeed “a great mystery,” and “a mystery of
godliness,” and that “without controversy” or
question, for it is beyond all doubt. Since in his directions to the
Priests he had required nothing like what is found in Leviticus he
refers the whole matter to Another, saying, “God was manifest in
the flesh.” The Creator was seen incarnate. “He was
justified in the Spirit.” As it is said, “Wisdom is
justified of her children,” or because He practiced no guile, as
the Prophet says, “Because he had done no violence, neither was
guile found in his mouth.” (Isa. liii. 9; 1 Pet. ii.
22.)
“Seen of Angels.” So that Angels together with us saw the
Son of God, not having before seen Him. Great, truly great, was this
mystery! “Preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the
world.” He was heard of and believed in through all parts of the
world, as the Prophet foreshowed, saying, “Their sound is gone
out into all the world.” (Ps. xix. 4.) Think not that
these things are mere words, for they are not, but full of hidden
realities. “Received up into glory.” He ascended upon
clouds. “This Jesus,” it is said, “Who is taken up
from you, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into
heaven.” (Acts i. 11.)

The discretion of the blessed
Paul is observable. When he would exhort the Deacons to avoid excess in
wine, he does not say, “Be not drunken,” but
“not” even “given to much wine.” A proper
caution; for if those who served in the Temple did not taste wine at
all, much more should not these. For wine produces disorder of mind,
and where it does not cause drunkenness, it destroys the energies and
relaxes the firmness of the soul.

The dispensation in our behalf
he calls a “mystery,” and well may it be so called, since
it is not manifest to all, nay, it was not manifest to the Angels, for
how could it, when it was “made known by the Church”?
(Eph.
iii. 10.) Therefore he says, “without controversy great is the
mystery.” Great indeed was it. For God became Man, and Man became
God. A Man was seen without sin! A Man was received up, was preached in
the world! Together with us the Angels saw Him. This is indeed a
mystery! Let us not then expose12081208 The word ἐκπομπεύωμεν
seems to be used in a bad sense, as of disgracing, or
irreverently handling, the sacred doctrine. this
mystery. Let us not lay it forth everywhere, but let us live in a
manner worthy of the mystery. They to whom a mystery is intrusted are
great persons. We account it a mark of favor, if a king intrusts a
secret to us. But God has committed His mystery to us, yet are we
ungrateful to our Benefactor, as if we had not received the greatest
benefits. Our insensibility to such a kindness should strike us with
horror. And how is that a mystery which all know? In the first place
all do not know it, and before then too they knew it not, but now it is
made manifest.12091209 So
B. Sav. mar. and Old Lat. The printed text is, “It is a mystery
which all know, yea, rather, which all knew not before, but which is
now made manifest to all.”

Moral.
In keeping this mystery, then, let us be faithful to our trust. So
great a mystery has He intrusted to us, and we do not trust Him even
with our money, though He has bid us lay up our wealth with Him, where
none can take it away, neither can moth nor thief waste it. And He
promises to pay us a hundred-fold, yet we obey Him not. Yet here if we
intrust any with a deposit, we receive nothing back in addition, but
are thankful if that is restored which we deposited. If a thief steals
it there, He saith, set that to My account; I say not to thee, a
thief 443has
taken it, or moth devoured it. He repays a hundred-fold here, and
eternal life is superadded hereafter, yet do we not lay up our treasure
there! “But,” you say, “He repays slowly.” Well
this too is a proof of the greatness of His gift, that He does not
repay here in this mortal life; or rather He does repay even here a
hundred-fold. For did not Paul leave here his tools,12101210 σμίλην. Peter his rod and hook, and Matthew his seat
of custom? and was not the whole world opened to them more than to
kings? Were not all things laid at their feet? Were they not appointed
rulers,12111211 δίοικητὰς. and lords? Did not men commit their
lives into their hands? suspend themselves wholly upon their counsel,
and enlist in their service? And do we not see many similar occurrences
even now? Many men of poor and humble means, who did but handle the
spade, and had hardly a sufficiency of necessary food, having but the
character of monks, have been celebrated above all men, and honored of
kings.

Are these things inconsiderable?
Well, consider that these are but additions, the principal sum is
stored up for the life to come. Despise riches, if thou wouldest have
riches. If thou wouldest be truly rich, become poor. For such are the
paradoxes of God. He would not have thee rich from thy own care, but
from His grace. Leave these things to Me, He says; make spiritual
things thy concern, that thou mayest know My power. Flee from that yoke
of slavery, which riches impose. As long as thou cleavest to them, thou
art poor. When thou despisest them, thou art doubly rich, in that such
things shall flow in upon thee from every side, and in that thou shalt
want none of those things, which the multitude want. For not to possess
much, but to need little, is to be rich indeed. The king, so long as he
wants aught, differs not from the poor man. For this is poverty, to
stand in need of others; and by this argument the king is poor, in so
far as he stands in need of his subjects. But he that is crucified, to
the world is not so; he wants for nothing; for his hands are sufficient
for his subsistence, as Paul said, “These hands have ministered
to my necessities, and to them that were with me.” (Acts xx.
34.)
These are his words who says, “As having nothing, yet possessing
all things.” (2 Cor. vi. 20.) This is he who
was thought a God by the inhabitants of Lystra. If thou wouldest obtain
worldly things, seek Heaven; if you wouldest enjoy things here, despise
them. For, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God,” He saith,
“and all these things shall be added unto you.”
(Matt.
vi. 33.)

Why dost thou admire these
trifles? Why long for things of no real worth? How long is one poor?12121212 See
on Philip. i. 19, Hom. ii. how long a beggar? Raise thine eyes to
heaven, think of the riches there, and smile at gold; think of how
little use it is; that the enjoyment of it lasts but for the present
life, and that compared with eternity, the present life is as a grain
of sand, or as a drop of water to the boundless ocean. This wealth is
not a possession, it is not property, it is a loan for use. For when
thou diest, willingly or unwillingly, all that thou hast goes to
others, and they again give it up to others, and they again to others.
For we are all sojourners; and the tenant of the house is more truly
perchance the owner of it, for the owner dies, and the tenant lives,
and still enjoys the house. And if the latter hires it, the other might
be said to hire it too: for he built it, and was at pains with it, and
fitted it up. Property, in fact, is but a word: we are all owners in
fact but of other men’s possessions. Those things only are our
own, which we have sent before us to the other world. Our goods here
are not our own; we have only a life interest in them; or rather they
fail us during our lives. Only the virtues of the soul are properly our
own, as alms-giving and charity. Worldly goods, even by those without,
were called external things, because they are without us. But let us
make them internal. For we cannot take our wealth with us, when we
depart hence, but we can take our charities. But let us rather send
them before us, that they may prepare for us an abode in the eternal
mansions. (Luke xvi. 9.)

Goods12131213 χρήματα.
are named from use,12141214 κεχρῆσθαι. not from
lordship, and are not our own, and possessions are not a property but a
loan. For how many masters has every estate had, and how many will it
have! There is a sensible proverb, (and popular proverbs, when they
contain any wisdom, are not to be despised,) “O field, how many
men’s hast thou been, and how many men’s wilt thou
be?” This we should say to our houses and all our goods. Virtue
alone is able to depart with us, and to accompany us to the world
above. Let us then give up and extinguish that love of wealth, that we
may kindle in us an affection for heavenly things. These two affections
cannot possess one soul. For it is said, “Either he will hate the
one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise
the other.” (Matt. vi. 24.) Seest thou a
man with a long train of attendants, clearing a way12151215 σοβοῦντα. along the streets, clothed in silken
garments, riding aloft, and stiffening his neck? Be not overawed, but
smile. As we laugh when we see children playing at kings, so laugh at
his state, for it is no better than theirs, nor indeed so pleasant, for
there is not the same innocence 444and simplicity as with
children. With them it is laughter and pleasure, here is a man made
ridiculous and contemptible.

Glorify God, Who has kept thee
free from this theatrical ostentation. For, if thou wilt, humble as thy
station is, thou mayest be higher than he who is exalted in his
chariot. And why? because, though his body is a little raised from the
earth, his soul is fixed upon it, for “My strength,” he
saith, “cleaveth to my flesh” (Ps. cii. 6.), but thou in
thy spirit walkest in heaven. What though he has many attendants
clearing his way? is he more honored by this than his horse? and what
an absurdity is it, to drive men before one to clear the way for a
beast to pass! Then what sort of honor is it to bestride a horse? an
honor shared by his slaves. Yet some are so vain of this, that they
have it led after them even though they do not want it. What greater
folly can there be? To wish to be distinguished by their horses, by the
costliness of their garments, by their retinue! What can be more
contemptible than glory which consists in horses, and servants? Art
thou virtuous? use not such distinctions. Have ornaments in thyself. Be
not indebted for thy glory to the presence of others. To such honor the
most wicked, corrupt, and base of men may attain; all indeed who are
rich. Actors and dancers may ride on horseback with a servant running
before them, yet are they but actors and dancers still. Their horses
and attendants procure them no respect. For when the graces of the soul
are wanting to such persons, the addition of these external things is
superfluous and vain. And as when a wall is weak, or a body disordered,
whatever you put upon it, it still remains unsound and decayed; so in
this case; the soul continues the same, and receives no advantage from
things without, not though the man wear a thousand ornaments of gold.
Let us not therefore be anxious for such things. Let us withdraw
ourselves from temporal things, and pursue greater, even spiritual
distinctions, which will render us truly objects of veneration, that we
also may obtain the blessings of futurity, through the grace and
lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, &c.

1202 He
had not noticed this reason on the passage, probably because he
considered that St. Paul purposely deferred it to this
place.